Venue View: Rose Ann Hofland
By Rose Ann Hofland
Director, Communications & Community Engagement
Levitt at the Falls
There is a host of excellent work to celebrate in our Sioux Falls performing arts scene. I’ve lived in Sioux Falls for 13 years. I go to a lot of shows and arts events—specifically theatre. There are long-time companies that continue to do solid work and there are new groups bringing new voices to our scene. It takes both to keep Sioux Falls a vibrant, creative community. Here are 10 things that I am personally excited about in the performing arts scene today:
1. Monstrous Little Theatre Company (MLTC)
I am a sap for good, thought-provoking theatre in small spaces. I love that MLTC is doing new plays, and plays primarily by female playwrights. This is the challenging stuff we get to do in college theatre and then tend to lose opportunities to perform and see once we enter non-academia. MLTC is doing it and helping to elevate the Sioux Falls theatre scene.
2. All-Abilities Theatre
We’ve got a whole new crop of talented actors in Sioux Falls building up their resumes thanks to the inclusive work by the Black Hills Playhouse in partnership with Lifescape Center for the Arts and DakotAbilities. If you want to see theatre that truly reflects the beautiful sense of community that draws so many of us to the arts—go out and see one of their shows. In addition to workshop pieces, this collaboration is producing full musicals like their recently produced Elf Jr. and Wizard of Oz with actors of all ages and abilities.
3. New Works
Who wants to see Grease for the 10th time? Well, lots of people and, sometimes, me. But what I also like to see is new work. It’s important for the craft and a great opportunity for actors and writers to collaborate in the creative process. Augustana University has been committed to new work with the Claire Donaldson New Play Festival, the University of Sioux Falls recently did an original show and The Good Night Theatre Collective has made a new work a staple of their seasons for several years now. That’s cool.
4. Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival
This January, hundreds of students and professors from college theatre programs from a seven-state region will all converge for a week-long festival in downtown Sioux Falls. This is the second year in a row that our area colleges and universities have served as host for this festival. The influx of creativity and energy is nothing short of amazing. Can we keep them all, please?
5. SD Symphony Community Outreach
The SD Symphony recently received a Bush Foundation grant (this is a highly competitive big deal) to support the impactful work they are doing throughout South Dakota—from Music as Healing in our area hospitals and hospice, to outreach in tribal communities to develop new composers, there are important programs taking the symphony out of the concert hall.
6. Professional Dance Companies
We’ve had many solid dance-education studios established here for years, but now we are seeing local, professional dance companies come to fruition. What a great development in our performing arts scene! LiRa Dance Theatre Company has brought some awesome collaborations and contemporary dance and now the South Dakota Ballet is joining the scene, set to host its inaugural performance this summer.
7. Free Music at the Levitt
Sioux Falls now has a beautiful outdoor concert venue in Falls Park (10 years in the making) that provides an amazing variety of free, professional music every weekend, all summer long. Who doesn’t love to be outside enjoying music with your neighbors with the sun shining?
8. Touring Shows
The Washington Pavilion has seen some impressive growth in the performing arts subscriber base in the last few years, and that is allowing them to bring in three-plus nights of the Broadway touring shows. What does this mean for Sioux Falls? Fresher touring options—getting the recent tours faster and higher quality shows.
9. Improv Falls
Need a laugh? Yes, and…this improvisational theatre troupe has entered the scene, providing some really solid comedy. They are nomads—you might find them at Boss’ Pizza or at the Icon Lounge. Their shows are a ton of fun and showcase some of our best local performers.
10. Our Growth Project and Full Circle Book Co-Op Poetry Slams
I love that our creative professionals locally take the reins, and, if they aren’t given a stage, they make one. Our Growth Project is doing regular open mic nights, lip sync battles, hip hop dance showcases and other generally fresh events at Augustana and around the community. The Full Circle Book Co-Op is also serving as an artist hub, giving our writing community a space to develop the slam poetry scene and all other things creative.